More than 2,500 council staff received six-figure pay packages last year, with one chief executive paid almost £600,000, new figures show.

The number of local authority employees earning more than £100,000 fell by 11 per cent in 2011-12, compared with last year, according to data compiled by the TaxPayers’ Alliance.

However, 103 councils were employing more staff on that level than ever and 42 people took home more than £250,000. The highest-paid chief executive was Katherine Kerswell, group managing director of Kent County Council, who received £589,165. Ms Kerswell received a salary of almost £140,000, pension contributions of nearly £30,000